Okay. I’m going to show my age here. When I was little – as in kindergarten little – my family would faithfully watch the Ozzie and Harriet Show. I adored Ricky Nelson. I think he was my first crush. By first or second grade I was proudly wearing my Dr. Kildare shirt, but that’s another story. Years later little Ricky came back into my life with his grown-up name. Rick Nelson. His hit “Garden Party” was on the radio today. I know his lyrics have nothing to do with an afternoon tea garden party, except for the title. But, the ideas began to flow. A garden party. I remember my grandmother loved her rose garden. She had a back porch with trellises covered in ivy. We would sit on the wicker chairs and watch the birds and butterflies in her back yard. These times were often accompanied by iced tea and a cookie. Or Heavenly Hash. A favorite snack for me. Marshmallows, pineapple, maraschino cherries, coconut and whipped cream. Yum. (She usually left out the nuts.) Sometimes she would have a few blooms that had damaged stems. She would snip these off and bring them into the house to float in a bowl of water. Peonies often received this treatment, too, and would make a lovely table decoration for a tea.
While I thought about the garden party, I thought of one of the most famous ones – the annual garden party hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. Pastels, big hats, sun dresses. Finger sandwiches and Petit Fours. I looked at Pinterest and Martha Stewart’s website and found a ton of ideas. But, Mamo’s floating flowers were my favorite. Of course, on a sunny day a big hat is a help, but not the only solution to the sun in your eyes. If you had a garden party and didn’t have a trellised porch or a big shade tree or two then you might consider going a little more beachy in the theme and putting out beach umbrellas. Or you might make canopies out of pretty cloth and poles or even invest in a garden tent. If your party extends to evening, twinkle lights and citronella candles can add ambience to the event.
If it’s been raining as much in your area as in mine, then you might want to move the party indoors. Continue with the floating flowers, or fill bowls or glass cylinders with lemons and limes and add cranberries for a touch of color. Use the lemon and lime colors or even summery pastels and florals for décor, linens and china (or paper items. There are lovely paper plates and napkins these days.) Invitations can match the color scheme and theme. You’d still like it outdoors, but have no yard? Ask a friend or neighbor if you can use theirs (set-up and clean-up is your job, not theirs) or go to a park or public garden. Picnic baskets or hampers come in handy for these outings.
What to serve? Match the theme. It could be a theme as easy as just the two of us, girl’s get-together or fun in the sun. Or more formal such as a bridal or baby shower, a royal garden party, Mad Hatter’s party, Downton Abbey or Victorian, Secret Garden or a fundraiser for a cause in which case there may be a color association.
The food? Chilled soup such as Gazpacho or Vichyssoise, mini quiches or tea sandwiches, Petit Fours or individual fruit tarts. I thought of cup cakes or individual cakes, but on a warm day the icing may not hold so well and ice cream may melt if not properly cared for. Iced tea and lemonade would make wonderful beverages. Use your imagination. A garden party is basically a picnic. Pay attention to how you will keep cold foods cold and how to prevent spoilage of not only the food but the event. A garden party can be a fun dress-up event or even a great casual event. The choice is yours. The main thing is to enjoy.
Laura Childs
One of my favorite authors is Laura Childs. At the end of a busy day some people meditate. Some zone out in front of the TV. I love to spend some time reading something that does not have to do with technical issues. A Laura Childs book is a perfect release for me. In fact, I am currently re-reading her Cackleberry Club series while I await the opportunity to go to a book store and purchase her latest book. (I miss my local Borders store terribly. There was nothing like a green tea latte and wandering through the book stacks. I would imagine that I left with a purchase of a book or magazine almost every time.)
Ms. Childs has three series of books. In addition to the Cackleberry Club series, she writes a scrapbook mystery series set in New Orleans and her Tea Shop Series. She fills the books not only with a murder mystery to solve, but adds wonderful tips on scrapbooking, cooking and tea. Her tea party ideas are reason enough to buy the books.
Her Tea Shop series also includes hints and tips about tea, the beverage, as well as tea, the event. And, I see, from her website that she is developing a fourth series that has to do with an inn. I can hardly wait.
As a small business owner myself I find it easy to identify with Suzanne, the owner of the Cackleberry Club, Theodosia Browning, the owner of the Indigo Tea Shop and even with Carmela Bertrand, owner of Memory Mine. Each of these ladies has an assortment of employees, friends and acquaintances that are just wild enough or eccentric enough or just plan fun enough to take the boredom out of their lives. And, of course, they each find at least one body per book. The twists and turns are enough to keep you glued to the books and the recipes are marvelous. In fact, if you pay attention as you read, you will find plenty of menus to go along with the great recipes and tips found in the back of each book. To find some of her recipes check out Carroll Pellegrinelli and her posts. She has several of the recipes by permission and has even had one hers published by Ms. Childs.
Whether enjoying a quiet evening, a day at the beach or just waiting your turn at the doctor’s office, a Laura Childs book will make a good companion.
Tea For a Crowd
I love books. I miss my Borders store greatly. So I was thrilled that one of the local churches and the county library had book sales on the same day. Because I love bargains, too. Old cookbooks are a favorite. So, I now have “The Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cook Book” from 1959. I must have been a popular book because I saw three that day. While there are some recipes that make me cringe. One is for “Hurry-up Hot Tea” which, believe it or not, recommends that you keep a jar of instant tea handy for a bracing cup of hot tea. Measure the tea into each cup according to the label directions; fill with boiling water; stir. Oh, come now. Really? Instant tea must have been new then. However, there was one recipe that I think will come in handy for the holidays. It’s “Tea for a Crowd”. It’s a recipe for tea concentrate. And I quote. “Planning a tea? A tea concentrate make serving large groups easy. At teatime, all you have to do is pour a little concentrate into each cup and fill with ho, hot water. The tea can be strong or weak — its’s the amount of concentrate that makes the difference. Or just before serving you can combine the concentrate with the hot water in a large teapot — 1 cup concentrate to 6 cups boiling water.
“Tea concentrate for 40 to 45 servings: Bring to a high bubbling boil 6 cups freshly drawn cold water. Remove from heat and promptly add 1/4 pound loose tea, stirring in leaves. Cover; steep 5 minutes. Strain into teapot.
“Concentrate cloudy? Add the hot water at teatime will make it sparkle again.”
That’s a pretty good start. I have a couple of suggestions. You can strain or you can put the tea leaves in large tea filters – paper or mesh. Four ounces equals 113.36 grams (for those of you metric folk) or 1/4 pound. For the purposes of this recipe and the time period it is from, I can safely assume this is black tea used int he recipe. As the size of the tea leaf varies with the quality of the tea, weighing is recommended. And as black tea weighs more than others, for green tea you would use about 2/3 the weight and for white only about half. And, I would suggest that while you may chill the concentrate and add to hot water a cooler tea will result. Perhaps a tea too cool. Another idea is to place the concentrate in a thermos or airpot. And finally, I would suggest that instead of a “high bubbling boil” that the water just come to the boil to conserve as much oxygen as possible. By making the tea ahead – I would not suggest it be more than 2 or 3 hours – you do save a bit of last minute grief and it is easier to carry. Enjoy.
Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild 